Arts Hound

At 36, Seattleite and dancer Savannah Fuentes has spent half her life studying flamenco. “Flamenco is a lifelong commitment,” she says. “It’s hard. It’s really hard.” Fuentes brings her show “El Sol de Medianoche, Flamenco en Vivo” to Cozmic 8 pm Monday, Feb. 24; $20 general, $10 students, $7 kids 12 and under. The Spanish dance is unique, Fuentes says, because while other Latin dances — salsa, tango — are social or with a partner, flamenco is mostly for soloists, and the footwork is particularly complex. She adds, “Flamenco expresses the full range of emotions. There are very sad themes and very happy themes and everything in between.” For her 16-stop tour, Fuentes, who refuses to dance without live musicians, has flown in flamenco singer Curro Ceuto and guitarist José Vega from Spain.

In other Latin dance news: Salseros Dance Company is hosting the first Eugene Salsa Festival Feb. 21-23 at the Vet’s Club. Chock-full of live music (Portland’s Pura Vida Salsa Band, Seattle’s Carolos Cascante y su Tumbao), performances and workshops, the festival will “bring to Eugene master musicians, instructors and performers who represent countries from Colombia to Cuba.” Visit eugenesalsafestival.com for more info.

Maude Kerns is going au naturel with its exhibit The Nakedness of the Subject Feb. 23 to March 21. The show will feature two- and three-dimensional works inspired by the human form from Bets Cole, Marsha Maverick Wells and Anna Lee-Hoelzle, with an opening reception 6 to 8 pm Saturday, Feb. 22.